Crowned and Dangerous (A Royal Spyness Mystery) by Rhys Bowen Page B

she’ll ever improve, but I need a maid, she needs a job. We probably suit each other.”
    He looked up, a kidney poised on his fork. “I saw your picture at that royal wedding. You looked very smart. Was it as lovely as they said?”
    “It was very nice,” I agreed. “Princess Marina looked beautiful.”
    “And what’s she like, then? Foreign?”
    “Her English is perfect and she was delightful,” I said. “I really enjoyed my time with her.” Apart from the murder, I thought. That was rather unsettling. It seemed that my life moved from one worrying incident to the next, each striking closer and closer to home.
    “So where are you off to now?” he asked. “And what brings you to my neck of the woods? I don’t suppose you came all this way just to say hello to your old granddad.”
    “I love seeing you at any time,” I said. “You know that. But you’re right. I’m afraid I bolted. I had some bad news and I ran out of the house and came straight to you, because you’re the only person I can talk to.”
    “Bad news?”
    “You might have read about it in the papers,” I said. “Darcy’s father has been arrested for murder.”
    “Blimey. So that was the Irish aristocrat they mentioned. Hit someone over the head with a battle-ax, didn’t he?”
    “A battle club.” I took a deep breath. “Darcy just telephoned me to tell me that he wants us to break all ties. He doesn’t want me linked to him in any way.”
    Granddad nodded. “He always struck me as a thoughtful young man. He thinks he’s doing the right thing.”
    I looked up, as shocked as if he had slapped me across the face. “I thought at least you would understand,” I said angrily. “I love him, Granddad. We were going to sneak up to Gretna Green to get married, when we learned about this. I don’t want to live without him.”
    “But you can see his point of view, can’t you?” he asked calmly. “He’s looking out for you. He knows what it will be like with the reporters hovering like vultures. He knows that the gossip will follow him for the rest of his life. People will nudge each other and say, ‘He’s the one whose father was a murderer.’ Then they’ll nod and move away from him.”
    “That’s so unfair. Remember Binky was wrongly arrested once. It hasn’t blighted him. And Darcy is a wonderful person, Granddad, and he must be hurting terribly. I want to be with him. I want to help him get through this.”
    “And how do you think you could help him, ducks?” he asked gently. “Don’t you think you’ll give him even more to worry about, trying to protect you from the press?”
    This made me hesitate and consider. Did I really think I couldbe of help to him? Would seeing me there, knowing I was on his side no matter what, make him feel better? Then I thought if someone in my family was arrested for a crime, I’d want Darcy there with me. And if there was the slightest hope, the slightest chance that his father was innocent, then two heads would be better than one.
    “If the situation was reversed then I’d want Darcy there,” I said.
    “If that’s how you feel, what’s stopping you?” he asked.
    “What?”
    “Go over to him. If he tries to send you away say you’re not leaving him in the lurch whatever happens.” He wagged a finger at me. “But you have to be sure that you’re up to it. It won’t be easy. Those reporters, they’ll be hanging round like a pack of wolves, everywhere you go. And your family might not like having you mixed up with a murder trial.”
    “Bugger my family,” I said, making him burst out laughing so that I had to smile too.
    “I never thought I’d hear that word coming from your lips,” he said. “I bet your governess didn’t teach it to you. And that sister-in-law of yours would swoon if you ever used it in front of her.”
    “It’s not a word I use often,” I said, “but in the circumstances it seems quite appropriate. I mean, it’s not as if I’m anybody